Herders, farmers clash: JNI accuses Ortom of hate speech

From Femi Oyelola Kaduna

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, (JNI) has called on Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his cohorts not to take Nigerian Muslim Community for granted in the name of herders/farmers clashes.
The Secretary-General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Aliyu Abubakar stated this in a press statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.
The JNI Secretary-General who was reacting to the recent interview granted by the Benue State Governor to an online medium and widely spread in both print and electronic media, said the allegation that the ongoing herders/farmers clashes in his state is a continuation of the Jihad of the revered Shehu Usman Danfodiyo.
According to him, the rejoinder is premised on the fact that Islam does not encourage its adherents to castigate other people of faith or fabricate lies against them; adding that the recent comment of the Governor is to smear the revered personality of Shehu Danfodiyo who had said in a widely quoted statement that: “Truth is an open wound, only justice can heal it.”
Dr. Abubakar said he found it difficult to understand the rationale behind the Governor’s vituperations at this point in time, or is it because Tashaku, his militant boy, has been arrested by the military authorities and the Governor is already entertaining fear for thorough investigations?
“To set the records straight, Danfodiyo’s Jihads essentially against the unjust leadership of various Muslim states, starting with his own homeland, the Muslim Gobir Empire, not against non-Muslims.
“His Jihad gave hop to the people and got overwhelming acceptance from all. That was why some Empires submitted themselves to him even before any battle. The Jihad was also an intellectual as well as social movement, and in fact Shehu had earlier called for reform, and it was the failure and recalcitrance of the then Muslim rulers that made the masses to congregate around him for the Jihad to take place.
“We call on Muslims and the general public to disregard the information from the Benue Governor and the Tiv Traditional Council as it is false without even a figment of truth.
“We use this opportunity to call on Muslims to, especially in this blessed month of Ramadan, intensify prayers for peace to return to the nation and for a hitch-free 2019 General Elections as politicians are busy trying to cause crises with their unguarded utterances,” he said.